Above-ground swimming pool with integral automatic raising and lowering hard cover, and an automatic raising and lowering retrofit hard cover for an existing in-ground and above-ground swimming pool

ABSTRACT

An above-ground swimming pool with integral automatic raising and lowering hard cover, and an automatic raising and lowering retrofit hard cover for an existing in-ground and above-ground swimming pool. The raising and lowering of the hard cover takes place with the utilization of two or more linear actuators that are telescopic or non-telescopic and actuated through the use of mechanical (screw jack, rack and pinion or pulley types), hydraulic (piston type), pneumatic (piston type), electro-mechanical, Piezoelectric and linear motor devices. The hard cover provides several benefits to the user of the pool.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

None.

SEQUENCE LISTING

None.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to a hard or rigid swimming pool cover, as opposed to a rigid frame with flexible skin type of cover. The hard swimming pool cover raises and lowers automatically. The hard swimming pool cover can be used with in-ground or above-ground swimming pools. The aforementioned cover can be integral to the swimming pool frame or added as a separate retrofit mechanism to be installed with an existing in-ground or above-ground swimming pool.

The aforementioned swimming pool cover prevents children, animals, unwanted guests, pollutant rain and debris such as dust and leaves from entering the pool when the cover is in the lowered or closed position. The cover cannot be raised or opened unless the operator has the key, passcode, etc. to turn on the mechanism that raises and lowers the cover.

The convex dome, flat pitched or multi-faceted pitched from center hard cover shapes or designs that utilize rigid transparent plastic or glass materials refract the sunlight that penetrates the hard cover surface. The refracted sunlight is then concentrated onto the surface of the pool water. The combination of refracted sunlight and encapsulating the pool water with the hard pool cover makes the hard pool cover advantageous to warming the swimming pool water. Rigid plastic or glass materials with UV filters or photochromic rigid transparent plastic or glass materials can be used with the hard pool cover to reflect the sunlight that would hit the swimming pool water, in regions where it is not desired to heat the pool water because the outdoor air temperatures are so great that the pool water becomes too hot.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,566,420 to Peterson (1971) claims the swimming pool cover to provide shade to the swimming pool when in the raised position. Typically swimmers enjoy the sun to warm the water and themselves. This invention allows for the option of allowing sunlight to pass through the rigid transparent material if desired. And block sunlight if it is not desired, through the use of rigid plastic or glass materials with UV filters or photochromic rigid transparent plastic or glass materials.

Solar covers are the most widely used cover during seasons of active swimming pool use. Solar covers that are removed and reapplied to the swimming pool manually are time consuming and strenuous to remove before each use of the pool, and then reapply after each use of the pool. The hard cover relieves this time consuming and strenuous activity by the use of mechanism(s) that remove or raise the hard cover and reapply or lower the hard cover onto the pool.

Swimming pool covers that are typically used during seasons of inactivity are often referred to as “winter covers”, these soft flexible covers consist mainly of tarpaulins, and some other type of soft vinyl covers. These covers again are typically always manually applied at the beginning of the season of inactivity and then removed at the end of the season of inactivity. The hard cover relieves the time consuming and strenuous activity of applying and removing the winter cover by the use of mechanism(s) that remove or raise the hard cover and reapply or lower the hard cover onto the pool.

Alternatively, in regions where the hard pool cover that utilizes rigid plastic or glass materials with UV filters or photochromic rigid transparent plastic or glass materials is not needed, an opaque tarpaulin cover can be placed over top of the hard cover during seasons of inactivity so that light cannot penetrate through the transparent hard cover. The reason for this seasonal opaque tarpaulin cover is to prevent the swimming pool water from exposure to light which causes algae to grow.

This patent is specific to an above-ground swimming pool with integral automatic raising and lowering hard cover, and an automatic raising and lowering retrofit hard cover for an existing in-ground and above-ground swimming pool. This patent is not intended to cover spas, hot tubs or swim spas as referenced in U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,566 to Wilson (2004) and U.S. Pat. No. 7,614,093 to Piche & Bussiere (2009), which are specific to a spa or hot tub.

SUMMARY

The aforementioned hard swimming pool cover provides:

-   -   Safety to those that cannot swim.     -   Prohibiting access for unwanted guests.     -   A barrier that protects the pool water from pollutant rain and         debris such as dust and leaves.     -   Ability to keep the pool water either warmer or cooler than         would be without hard pool cover.     -   Easier removal and reapplication than that of solar covers, soft         covers and winter covers used manually.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an above-ground swimming pool with integral automatic raising and lowering hard cover constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the hard cover in the raised position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an above-ground swimming pool with integral automatic raising and lowering hard cover constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the hard cover in the lowered position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an above-ground swimming pool with retrofit automatic raising and lowering hard cover constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the hard cover in the raised position.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an above-ground swimming pool with retrofit automatic raising and lowering hard cover constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the hard cover in the lowered position.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an in-ground swimming pool with automatic raising and lowering retrofit hard cover constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the retrofit hard cover in the raised position.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an in-ground swimming pool with automatic raising and lowering retrofit hard cover constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the retrofit hard cover in the lowered position.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the convex dome shape hard cover of FIGS. 1,2,3,4,5 and 6.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the convex dome shape hard cover of FIGS. 1,2,3,4,5 and 6.

FIG. 9 is a top view of a multi-faceted pitched from center shaped hard cover of FIGS. 1,2,3,4,5 and 6.

FIG. 10 is a front view of a multi-faceted pitched from center shaped hard cover of FIGS. 1,2,3,4,5 and 6.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a multi-faceted pitched from center shaped hard cover of FIGS. 1,2,3,4,5 and 6.

FIG. 12 is a top view of a flat pitched shaped hard cover of FIGS. 1,2,3,4,5 and 6.

FIG. 13 is a side view of a flat pitched shaped hard cover of FIGS. 1,2,3,4,5 and 6.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a flat pitched shaped hard cover of FIGS. 1,2,3,4,5 and 6.

FIG. 15 is a cross section view of the vertical support with integral actuator base/housing 16 of FIGS. 1 and 2

FIGS. 16, 17, 18 and 19 are top views of the shapes that apply to the above-ground swimming pool 10 shown in (FIGS. 1 and 2), the existing above-ground swimming pool 22 shown in (FIGS. 3 and 4) and also the existing in-ground swimming pool 25 shown in (FIGS. 5 and 6).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view taken of the above-ground swimming pool 10 with integral automatic raising and lowering hard cover 11 constructed in accordance with one embodiment. The hard cover 11 is raised off of the above-ground swimming pool 10 because the linear actuators 12 were commanded by the linear actuator power source/controller 20 to extend upwards. The upward extension of the linear actuators 12 manifests as a result of the actuator tubular compression members 15 moving up in relation to the bottom of the vertical support with integral actuator bases/housings 16, until the actuator tubular compression members 15 obtain their pre-determined height.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view taken of the above-ground swimming pool 10 with integral automatic raising and lowering hard cover 11 in the lowered position. The linear actuators 12 shown in (FIG. 1) were not commanded by the linear actuator power source/controller 20 shown in (FIG. 1) to extend upwards. Therefore the hard cover 11 remains in its lowered position on top of above-ground swimming pool 10.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view taken of the existing above-ground swimming pool 22 with automatic raising and lowering retrofit hard cover 24. The retrofit hard cover 24 is raised off of the existing above-ground swimming pool 22 because the linear actuators 12 were commanded by the linear actuator power source/controller 20 to extend upwards. The upward extension of the linear actuators 12 manifests as a result of the actuator tubular compression members 15 moving up in relation to the bottom of the actuator bases/housings 23, until the actuator tubular compression members 15 obtain their pre-determined height.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view taken of the existing above-ground swimming pool 22 with automatic raising and lowering retrofit hard cover 24 in the lowered position. The linear actuators 12 shown in (FIG. 3) were not commanded by the linear actuator power source/controller 20 shown in (FIG. 3) to extend upwards. Therefore the retrofit hard cover 24 remains in its lowered position on top of the existing above-ground swimming pool 22.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view taken of the existing in-ground swimming pool 25 with automatic raising and lowering retrofit hard cover 24. The retrofit hard cover 24 is raised off of the existing in-ground swimming pool 25 because the linear actuators 12 were commanded by the linear actuator power source/controller 20 to extend upwards. The upward extension of the linear actuators 12 manifests as a result of the actuator tubular compression members 15 moving up in relation to the bottom of the actuator bases/housings 23, until the actuator tubular compression members 15 obtain their pre-determined height.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view taken of the existing in-ground swimming pool 25 with automatic raising and lowering retrofit hard cover 24 in the lowered position. The linear actuators 12 shown in (FIG. 5) were not commanded by the linear actuator power source/controller 20 to extend upwards. Therefore the retrofit hard cover 24 remains in its lowered position on top of the existing in-ground swimming pool 25.

FIG. 7 is a top view of a hard cover and/or retrofit hard cover that has a specific geometrical shape that applies to it, which is hereby described as a convex dome 26. This convex dome 26 shape applies to the hard cover 11 shown in (FIG. 1) and the retrofit hard cover 24 shown in (FIGS. 3 and 5).

FIG. 8 is a front view of a hard cover and/or retrofit hard cover that has a specific geometrical shape that applies to it, which is hereby described as a convex dome 26. This convex dome 26 shape applies to the hard cover 11 shown in (FIG. 1) and the retrofit hard cover 24 shown in (FIGS. 3 and 5).

FIG. 9 is a top view of a hard cover and/or retrofit hard cover that has a specific geometrical shape that applies to it, which is hereby described as a multi-faceted pitched from center 27. This multi-faceted pitched from center 27 shape applies to the hard cover 11 shown in (FIG. 1) and the retrofit hard cover 24 shown in (FIGS. 3 and 5).

FIG. 10 is a front view of a hard cover and/or retrofit hard cover that has a specific geometrical shape that applies to it, which is hereby described as a multi-faceted pitched from center 27. This multi-faceted pitched from center 27 shape applies to the hard cover 11 shown in (FIG. 1) and the retrofit hard cover 24 shown in (FIGS. 3 and 5).

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a hard cover and/or retrofit hard cover that has a specific geometrical shape that applies to it, which is hereby described as a multi-faceted pitched from center 27. This multi-faceted pitched from center 27 shape applies to the hard cover 11 shown in (FIG. 1) and the retrofit hard cover 24 shown in (FIGS. 3 and 5).

FIG. 12 is a top view of a hard cover and/or retrofit hard cover that has a specific geometrical shape that applies to it, which is hereby described as flat pitched 28. This flat pitched 28 shape applies to the hard cover 11 shown in (FIG. 1) and the retrofit hard cover 24 shown in (FIGS. 3 and 5).

FIG. 13 is a side view of a hard cover and/or retrofit hard cover that has a specific geometrical shape that applies to it, which is hereby described as a flat pitched 28. This flat pitched 28 shape applies to the hard cover 11 shown in (FIG. 1) and the retrofit hard cover 24 shown in (FIGS. 3 and 5).

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a hard cover and/or retrofit hard cover that has a specific geometrical shape that applies to it, which is hereby described as a flat pitched 28. This flat pitched 28 shape applies to the hard cover 11 shown in (FIG. 1) and the retrofit hard cover 24 shown in (FIGS. 3 and 5).

FIG. 15 is a cross section view of the vertical support with integral actuator base/housing 16 shown in (FIG. 1). The vertical support with integral actuator base/housing serves two purposes. It serves to act as the linear actuator base/housing, while also providing vertical support for the pool side wall 19 shown in (FIG. 1).

FIG. 16 is a top view of the circular shape that applies to the above-ground swimming pool 10 shown in (FIGS. 1 and 2), the existing above-ground swimming pool 22 shown in (FIGS. 3 and 4) and also the existing in-ground swimming pool 25 shown in (FIGS. 5 and 6).

FIG. 17 is a top view of the square shape that applies to the above-ground swimming pool 10 shown in (FIGS. 1 and 2), the existing above-ground swimming pool 22 shown in (FIGS. 3 and 4) and also the existing in-ground swimming pool 25 shown in (FIGS. 5 and 6).

FIG. 18 is a top view of the rectangular shape that applies to the above-ground swimming pool 10 shown in (FIGS. 1 and 2), the existing above-ground swimming pool 22 shown in (FIGS. 3 and 4) and also the existing in-ground swimming pool 25 shown in (FIGS. 5 and 6).

FIG. 19 is a top view of the oval (slot) shape that applies to the above-ground swimming pool 10 shown in (FIGS. 1 and 2), the existing above-ground swimming pool 22 shown in (FIGS. 3 and 4) and also the existing in-ground swimming pool 25 shown in (FIGS. 5 and 6).

REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   9—rigid transparent material (polycarbonate, acrylic sheet) -   10—above-ground swimming pool -   11—hard cover -   12—linear actuators -   13—hard cover frame -   14—actuator to frame connector -   15—actuator tubular compression members -   16—vertical support with integral actuator base/housing -   17—top seat -   18—seat cover -   19—side wall -   20—linear actuator power source/controller -   21—fluid or electric transmission line/hose -   22—existing above-ground swimming pool -   23—actuator base/housing -   24—retrofit hard cover -   25—existing in-ground swimming pool -   26—convex dome -   27—multi-faceted pitched from center -   28—flat pitched -   29—vertical support

Operation

In operation one will the gain access to the above-ground swimming pool 10, existing above-ground swimming pool 22 or existing in-ground swimming pool 25 by using a security code or key to turn on the linear actuator power source/controller 20, then push the up button on the linear actuator power source/controller 20 to command the hard cover 11 or retrofit hard cover 24 to raise. When the above-ground swimming pool 10, existing above-ground swimming pool 22 or existing in-ground swimming pool 25 user is finished, they will push the down button on the linear actuator power source/controller 20 to command the hard cover 11 or retrofit hard cover 24 to lower and cover the above-ground swimming pool 10, existing above-ground swimming pool 22 or existing in-ground swimming pool 25 until next use.

The hard cover 11 and retrofit hard cover 24 in the lowered position will keep children, animals, unwanted guests, pollutant rain and debris such as dust and leaves from entering the above-ground swimming pool 10, existing above-ground swimming pool 22 or existing in-ground swimming pool 25.

The linear actuators 12 used to raise and lower the hard cover 11 or retrofit hard cover 24 can be telescopic or non-telescopic and actuated through the use of mechanical (screw jack, rack and pinion or pulley types), hydraulic (piston type), pneumatic (piston type), electro-mechanical, Piezoelectric and linear motor devices.

When the rigid transparent material 9 of hard cover 11 and retrofit hard cover 24 do not have UV filters in them or a photochromic coating applied to the outer surface, the suns' ultra-violet rays are not filtered out. Therefore the refracted sunlight is concentrated onto the surface of the pool water. The combination of refracted sunlight and encapsulating the pool water with the hard cover keeps the water in the pool warmer.

When the rigid transparent material 9 of hard cover 11 and retrofit hard cover 24 has UV filters in them or a photochromic coating applied to the outer surface, the suns' ultra-violet rays are filtered out. The purposes or advantages of blocking the suns' ultra-violet rays are as follows:

-   -   1) The skin of swimmers that are under the raised hard cover 11         and retrofit hard cover 24 are protected from the suns' harmful         ultra-violet rays.     -   2) Will keep the water in the above-ground swimming pool 10,         existing above-ground swimming pool 22 or existing in-ground         swimming pool 25 cooler.     -   3) The lack of UV rays will discourage the growth of algae. 

1. An above-ground swimming pool with integral automatic raising and lowering hard cover, comprising: A round, square, rectangular or oval shaped above-ground swimming pool with automatic vertically raising and lowering hard cover integrated into it. Two or more linear actuators used to lift the hard cover from the lowered position to the raised position. A controller that commands the power source to raise (extend) or lower (retract) the linear actuators. A hard shell (not framework) made up of transparent material (polycarbonate, acrylic sheet) that does not have any UV filters in it, has UV filters in it, or has a photochromic coating applied to the outer surface. A convex dome, multi-faceted pitched from center and flat pitched geometrical shaped hard cover. A swimming pool vertical support with integral actuator base/housing. A frame that is connected to the linear actuators and carries the load and provides attachment of the rigid transparent materials (polycarbonate, acrylic sheet).
 2. An automatic raising and lowering retrofit hard cover for an existing in-ground and above-ground swimming pool, comprising: A round, square, rectangular or oval shaped frame that conforms to the existing in-ground or above ground round, square, rectangular or oval shape. Two or more linear actuators used to lift the hard cover from the lowered position to the raised position. A controller that commands the power source to raise (extend) or lower (retract) the linear actuators. A hard shell (not framework) made up of transparent material (polycarbonate, acrylic sheet) that does not have any UV filters in it, has UV filters in it, or has a photochromic coating applied to the outer surface. A convex dome, multi-faceted pitched from center and flat pitched geometrical shaped hard cover. A frame that is connected to the linear actuators and carries the load and provides attachment of the rigid transparent materials (polycarbonate, acrylic sheet). 